Full-metal jacket

Somehow, I think John Powers and myself are the only two media members here without a ski jacket of some sort. Powers is surviving just fine with his blue blazer as he bounces from figure skating to speedskating to the latest meeting with the Olympic brass.

A lot of the press has "team" jackets. The Associated Press has white jackets with orange and black trim. All of the Japanese media have bright-colored jackets representing their station or newspaper. Of course, the Olympic workers all have the same uniforms as well.

The Globe didn't bother to order special jackets for our Olympic 9, but that's OK. Bob Ryan is still wearing what he calls his Lillehammer jacket. He bought it for the 1994 Games and has been using it ever since. Everyone else is in good shape, too.

Me, I brought my regular faux-leather jacket and figured that with the sweaters/layers philosophy it would serve me fine. Of course, just before leaving Boston, we had one of those breaking-zipper episodes. (If you watch "Seinfeld," it was too similar to the time George's jacket zipper stuck while he was visiting a therapist.)

Anyway, I've had no real problems with a jacket that won't zip. But I wasn't sure how today would pan out. Instead of the usual 45-minute bus trip to the media center, I've ventured out to San Sicario in the Alps for the women's Super G. After all the snow messed with schedules and transportation Sunday night, I was a bit worried.

When we got here, I stopped in one of the local ski shops, thinking I could join the ski-jacket team. But all I could see where items in the 300-Euro range. A bit much for my budget. Besides, I'm still trying to master the European sizing system. It just doesn't feel right buying a size 56.

Anyway, it's a sunny day and almost warm. Who needs the jacket, which does look frightfully out of place, on a day like this?